After one of the hottest summers on record, I am more in love than ever with box. What a great plant it is.  While everything else in the gardening was flustered and scorched, my English, Japanese, Korean and Dutch box hedges and balls were powering along, cool and collected.  Here are some notes on how to care for your buxus.

• Once established – buxus is drought tolerant – if potted keep moist.
  Buxus hate being over watered and soggy soil.
• Buxus love a PH of 6.5 to 7.5 PH. They don’t like acidic soil. Use dolomite lime to neutralise the soil.
• When planting – plant up to lower branches. They do not get collar rot. This eliminates gaps under your hedge.
• When planting ‘bare rooted’ stock:
  • Plant deep – up to and including lower branches
  • Flood the roots with water – this eliminates air pockets – then water normally
• Always cut hedges on a cool day with quality hand shears – electric or petrol cutters tend to rip or shred hedges – and hand shears generally give a cleaner cut.
• Box loves chook manure or pellets. At least twice a year. If box hedges are going a bronze colour or yellow orange, check soil for too much water- or they may need a big feed of fertilizer and/or dolomite lime.